As of today, I have spent the past 11 years of my life as a "band geek." Just like in the movies, band kids receive their fair share of taunting and light-hearted teasing throughout their experiences, but being "on the bleachers" actually comes with some pretty cool benefits (@ Taylor Swift).
From my experiences in band, I have indirectly been able to learn valuable life skills through direct, real-world application. Here are just a few of my personal favorites:
1. Work ethic.
Learning an instrument is easy; playing an instrument well is hard. It takes countless hours of practice, repetitions, and patience. While at the time I thought I was just practicing the saxophone, I was actually exercising something so much more: the skill of hard work.
2. Timeliness.
Everyone has heard the phrase "if you're not early, you're late." No one knows this better than band kids. We have all seen the wrath of an angry band director, and it isn't pretty. Whether it be rehearsals, concerts, sectionals, meetings or even just a social event, you learn very quickly that promptness is paramount.
3. Time management.
While on the topic of time, another skill band students acquire is that of prioritizing and managing time well. Even for those who aren't in band, it is a well-known fact that band is extremely demanding of one's time.
Just an 'ordinary' day of school could consist of arriving to school an hour and a half early for a rehearsal, going to class, going to band for another rehearsal, going back to class, finishing class, going to an after-school rehearsal and finally, practicing on your own so that you're ready for the next day's rehearsal or all-state auditions or UIL or Solo and Ensemble or whatever other items are on the to-do list—oh yeah, don't forget the homework!
Juggling all of these tasks, whether they are associated with band, school or any other extracurricular, can be overwhelming for students; but, it equips them with an extremely valuable life skill that they will use for the rest of their lives.
4. Preparation.
If you're not exhausted from reading that last point, the next skill that I learned from being a band kid is preparation. Whether it be for my own personal repertoire or for the music we were playing in band, preparing for a rehearsal, an audition, or a performance is crucial.
In an ensemble setting, you are 100% responsible for your actions and by showing up to a rehearsal without the necessary tools or knowledge, you are impeding the improvement and success of the entire organization. Also, the consequences for unpreparedness in band are failure and public humiliation—dramatic, I know, but true!
5. Public speaking.
This point kind of shifts gears to the marching band side.
I do not think there is any other experience that I can accredit more for this one. Through leadership opportunities, I have been able to work in situations that involved speaking and giving instruction to a group of 400+ members.
Many people my age still struggle with shaking the nerves that come with standing in front of a group just a fraction of that size, but I absolutely LOVE it. Don't get me wrong—I still get plenty nervous, but the opportunity I have had to practice this skill gives me the confidence to deliver messages to groups of people effectively and enthusiastically.
6. Leadership.
In no way am I even close to being the best leader that I aspire to become, but serving in roles of leadership and responsibility via band has given me a much better understanding of how the complex world of leadership operates. I have learned much about leadership styles, learning styles and how to apply them in various different situations.
This list could go on and on and on, but these are the few things that immediately came to mind. Needless to say, being part of band over the past 11 years not only served as an incredible experience, but also fostered some pretty cool life skills.
